


You'll Always Be My Brother

by Calodar



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: But he's trying for Wilbur, Chapter 8 is almost done though, Dad talks with Phil, Dreams and Nightmares, Family Fluff, I swear I'm not dead, I wrote the au before it was canon, I'm just so busy, ITS ACTUALLY MORE CANON NOW WHAT, Memories, Nevermind just realized techno rejected it, Other, Sad wilbur, Separation, Slow Build, Sparring, Tags Are Hard, Techno doesn't like Tommy, Techno is frustrated, Timeskips, Tubbo and Tommy being cute little brothers, Twin!Techno, Twin!Wilbur, What the heck guys, Wholesome, implied depression, sbi + tubbo, very slow build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:22:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27906673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calodar/pseuds/Calodar
Summary: As children, Techno and Wilbur were inseparable. They spent all the time in the world together, until Techno suddenly came down with a sickness. He stayed in Phil's room for weeks, Wilbur being left on his own for the entire time. Once he got to see his twin again, he was different- a pair of pig ears, pink eyes, and hooves. The sudden change didn't bother Wilbur, but something changed in his twin.
Relationships: Dave | Technoblade & Wilbur Soot, Dave | Technoblade & Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit & Phil Watson, No Romantic Relationship(s), Tommyinnit & Toby Smith | Tubbo, Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit
Comments: 46
Kudos: 397





	1. They're real!

Wilbur remembers his brother, Techno, shying away from the crowds under his arm, clinging to his sweater. It’s odd that he’s still reminded of that boy looking at his twin now. He was older, not by much, but still older. You could tell by the longer hair, though now turning into a pinkish color at the roots, and his developing facial structure. If anything, Techno definitely didn’t look like the shy kid he used to be. Wilbur could still feel him there though, even when everything about him is changing.

Dad stayed right next to him the entire time, only leaving when it was absolutely necessary. Wil had dinner by himself now, along with lunch and breakfast. He trained by himself too when he really wanted, but it felt so wrong to do it without his twin. 

One night, when he was trying to fall asleep, he heard a strong cry come from Dad’s room, where Techno was staying for the time being. It lasted for what seemed like forever, and Wil wanted to go see his brother, but he knew that Dad would push him away and tell him to go to bed. He didn’t sleep that much that night, he woke up with purple spots under his eyes like his father has.

He’s tried to ask about it before, once, when it first started happening. Wil was training with Techno, but that day was odd. His twin got tired easily, breathing heavily at the end of every quarrel. Even if he was shorter than Wil, Techno was definitely the better fighter- it was easy to see. Dad seemed concerned even then, but it wasn’t as bad as it was now. 

Wil was the first to notice a big change in Techno. They were outside in their treehouse that Dad made for them. He seemed pretty normal for the whole day, it was only when the sun hit his brother’s eyes did he realize they were lighter than the dark brown hue they shared. Once Wil told their father, he turned pale and took Techno away for the rest of the day. When he woke up the next morning, they were back- and that’s when Techno was moved to Dad’s room.

It’s been a week since, and Techno hasn’t left the room, to Wilbur’s knowledge. He finally got to see him yesterday when he was sleeping, which is how he noticed the change in his hair color. Dad didn’t say much at the time, only a few words being exchanged. 

“Is he alright?” Wil asked, big doe eyes staring up into his father’s tired blue one’s. 

“He’s just sick Wilbur.” Dad’s voice was hoarse.  
Looking from his sleeping brother to his father, Wilbur’s voice got small, “Is he going to get better?” 

Dad only sighed, leaving the question for the world to decide. He turned from Wil and leaned over, kissing his sleeping twin on the forehead. “Let’s get you to bed.” And so he did. 

The next few days went on like that, Techno didn’t cry or scream at night, but he slept a lot. Wilbur got to see him only when he was sleeping, he was afraid that he would never get to train with his twin again. Or even forget the sound of his voice. Once when Dad was making dinner, he snuck into the room and cried next to Techno’s side, afraid for what was to come. Though he was so young, he somehow understood the situation enough to feel worse and worse about it each day.

Then weeks passed. Wilbur noticed the changes throughout time. The pink roots moved to the rest of his hair, only leaving the tips the same warm brown that he started off with. He also had a pink pair of pig ears sticking out of his chin long hair. Reaching out, Wil poked the fleshy ears, the tips bouncing a little bit. _They were real!_ He let out a small gasp as his twin’s eyes fluttered open, his eyelashes still brown. Though his eyes weren’t. They were pink, and obviously so. 

Techno stared up at his brother, doing nothing but blinking. In a few seconds, he sat up, and Wilbur smiled a great big smile. 

“You’re awake! Dad said you were sick.” He said, patting the spot next to him. Techno scooted over to sit next to him instantly, his feet hanging off the edge. Except they weren’t feet, they were hooves. 

Wil wasn’t startled or scared, just glad to have his brother back. And a little interested in the pink fur and hooved feet. “When did you get those?” He asked, pointing at the said pink hooves. 

Looking down, Techno was not at all phased, but when he opened his mouth to speak, he widened his eyes. “I-” His voice sounded smaller than usual, “I haven’t talked in, awhile.” 

“You sound the same!” Wil exclaimed, kicking his legs happily. 

Frowning, his twin stared at his feet, flexing his toes, “Good, everything else changed.” 

Somehow sensing the sadness in Techno, Wilbur frowned too but then grabbed his brother’s hand squeezing it, “Not really. You’re still my favorite twin!”

“I’m your only twin.” Techno said plainly. 

Wilbur smiled a toothy smile, “Exactly, you’re irreplaceable.” Though Wil could still sense his restlessness, Techno smiled genuinely. 

“You haven’t changed either.” 

They sat there for a moment, Wil talking to Techno about all the things that happened while he was sick, though there wasn’t much to go over. Just about how Dad never left the room, and how lonely dinners and training were without his brother. Wilbur didn’t even step in the treehouse, thinking it would be bad luck to go in there without Techno. 

Of course, Techno found this conversation pointless, though he enjoyed listening to another person again. The two didn’t go over details that kids found boring, like how much time had passed since Techno first got sick, or exactly how his hair turned pink, and how he acquired hooves. All that mattered was that he was here now, with Wil. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was super nervous putting this out, but I think this'll be a good experience for me, hopefully whoever's reading this will like it too! Dunno how long it's gonna be, but I'm writing the second chapter right now! :D


	2. A Step Ahead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a small quarrel, Techno practices moving around in his new digitigrade style with Wil, making steady progress.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is INSANE!!! Over 400 hits and 105 kudos!! I honestly didn't think that it would get this much attention. But I hope you stick around!! I just had to post chapter 2 the next day- though my uploads might not be as consistent, it all depends on my workflow and inspiration. Techno's first stream back with Phil gave me the inspiration to make chapter one, so we'll see :) Happy reading!

After Dad found Wilbur talking to Techno, he finally got to leave the room and move around normally. Though he wasn’t allowed to train yet until they knew if he was healed all the way, Wil finally got his long awaited time with his twin. Techno talked significantly more, though that significantly more was not that much to begin with. 

Other notable changes would be the odd adjustment that his brother had to make from feet to hooves, Dad would compare him to a newborn fawn every time he stumbled. Though Dad meant well, Wilbur could tell that Techno was embarrassed about it. He was embarrassed about most of these new changes, always wearing some type of hat or beanie to hide his odd colored hair, and keeping his eyes to the ground so that nobody would notice. Wil wouldn’t be surprised if Techno wore long pants and boots once he got the hang of walking with hooved feet. 

Wil could tell that Dad thought of it as a bad transfer from his previous appearance, but he started to worry about his brother. Techno always seemed so frustrated and had such a melancholy aura around him, Wil wasn’t sure if he was ever going to get used to it.

Once, Techno got so angry from falling, Wil found him crying on the floor in the hall. He only heard it because Techno slammed his fist against the wall. Dad wasn’t home at the time, but maybe if he was he would understand how much this really hurt his brother's spirit.

Wil reached out a hand to Techno, and when he looked up- it made Wilbur want to cry himself. There were tears streaming down his face, and his eyebrows furrowed angrily. He knew how much his twin hurt and Wil couldn’t do anything about it. 

What made it worse is that Techno looked back down without saying anything. Never before has Techno ever turned down an outreached hand from Wil, even if Techno was embarrassed. 

Frowning, Wil spoke softly, “C’mon Te-”

“I have to do this!” Techno cried, running his hand down the wall, “If I don’t do this then I’m useless.”

It really made Wil want to cry for his brother's frustration, but he knows that Techno would take it as pity. “Techno it’s okay! Dad said you’re gonna get it soon!” 

Techno’s head snapped up, “He doesn’t know what it’s like, being this.”

“You aren’t any different!” 

“Yes I am Wil! Can’t you see? I can’t even stand up by myself anymore! Anyone can kick me down in an instant and I can’t do anything about it-” Choking up, Techno looked down again and brought his knees to his chest.

Sitting next to him, Wilbur didn’t speak. He didn’t know what to say. It was a shock to him how much this really affected Techno. And he doesn’t have a clue how to comfort him. Besides small conflicts, he hasn’t really experienced much sadness or anger before. Techno would be dissatisfied with training, Wilbur would tell him that they would practice more and then it passed as time went on. This time felt different. 

Actually, not entirely different. “We’ll practice!”

Blinking away tears with his now pink eyelashes, Techno looked up at his brother, “W-what?” 

Suddenly full of confidence, Wilbur stood up, his voice filled with a newfound strength. “We’ll train! You can’t get better at fighting by yourself, same goes for this!!” 

Techno seemed confused, but he didn’t seem as hopeless as before. He sniffled a bit before talking, “But you’re not learning anything.”

Wil clapped, “Of course I am! I’m learning more about you!”

Giving a small nod in return to his brother's overenthusiastic attitude, Techno reached out for a hand. Wil took it and helped his brother on his feet. 

“Okay. Let’s go.” Techno said, his monotone voice being given away by the big smile on his face.

Laughing at his eagerness, Wilbur kept his hand intertwined in his own, “At least wait until Dad gets back!” 

Techno dropped his head a little, still keeping the same smile on his face, “Okay.” 

Wil knew that Techno got a little better that day.

Over the next couple of weeks, Wil and Techno did exactly that- after their father’s permission of course. He seemed relieved that Techno was feeling better about the whole adjustment, now that Wil was helping. 

Though Wilbur didn’t help much. The first few days were Techno going around the house normally, he started off by leaning on his brother, then slowly needed him less and less. He got the hang of it pretty quickly, due to his massive determination to become more skilled. By the middle of the second week Techno could walk normally, with a little help from the wall.

“It’s a lot easier than it used to be.” Techno commented simply, standing with a hand on the table. Even though he sounded monotone, Wil could tell how much this meant to his brother.

Wilbur chuckled, “That’s how it’s supposed to work!” 

Lifting a leg and flexing it slightly, Techno smiled softly, “Yeah but it still doesn’t feel real.” 

Wil nodded at first, then started bouncing up and down excitedly, an idea coming to mind. “Let’s go show Dad!” Hopefully once that Dad realized that Techno was getting better, things would start going back to like they were before.

“He’s already seen me walk around Wil-” 

“But know you have it down, c’mon c’mon!!” Wilbur grabbed Techno’s hand, wanting to go run outside where their father was- but he remembered his brother couldn’t go as fast yet.

When the two boys reached the backdoor, Wil couldn’t help but to call for their dad. “Dad!! Dad! Come look, Techno can walk around by himself!” 

Their father, who was tending to the garden, turned around and gave the twins a big smile. “Can he now?” 

Techno looked down sheepishly, letting go of Wilbur’s hand. Hooves clicking on the pavement, Techno let his hand hold onto a table or tree every now and then, but ultimately walked by himself to his father. 

Dad looked frozen for a second, then started laughing, picking up his son and spinning him in a big circle, “That’s my boy!! I knew you could get it!” 

Running over to the two, Wil was still vibrating with excitement, “Dad do you think he can start training again soon? He’s gotten better I promise!!” 

Gently setting down Techno so that he could get a good grip with his hooves, Dad turned to Wil, with a tad bit of sadness in his eyes. “As much as I would love to let you two spar again, your brother still has more practice he needs to do. This is a big change for him, you understand right Wilbur?”

He felt a little disappointed, but still smiled up at his father, “I understand.”

Dad gave Wil a short ruffle of his brown locks, “You always do.”

Speaking up, Techno had his eyes locked on the ground, but was talking to his father, “W-when do you think I can start training again?”

Crouching down to him, Dad let his hand rest on Techno’s shoulder, his voice tender, “With how fast you’re picking it up? Very soon, trust me.” 

Techno met his father’s eyes and smiled, leaving it at that. Grabbing his twin’s hand again, Techno started towards the house. He went faster than he probably should have, but surprisingly didn't lose his footing. Wilbur had the courtesy to turn and wave towards Dad as they were leaving, but he too didn’t say anything. 

Turning back towards Techno, Wilbur gave him a big smile, “See? We just have to keep practicing.”

Techno didn’t slow down his pace, opening the door and making his way inside. “And that’s what we’re going to do Wil.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You may be thinking, this is moving so slowly, hurry it up!! But trust me, you'll wish for these cute moments again soon enough >:)


	3. New Challenger Appears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The twins are afraid that they'll be stuck in the same routine for awhile, until Dad brings home an interesting blonde seven year old.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is mostly a filler chapter, for Tommy to be introduced in a fun way, didn't want to just, throw him in there, so he get's his own little chapter! Go you feral boy go :)

The twins spent the next months practicing and training to get Techno to a point where he could get approval from his father to train again. He said that it wouldn’t take long, but it feels like it’s been ages since he’s last sparred with Wilbur. The closest they’ve ever gotten to real training was Techno practicing kicking on Wil’s arms while still balancing on one leg. But even that didn’t feel like it was enough.

Around the house was the same, Dad working on projects both in the house and away from home. The atmosphere in the house started to feel stagnant from the same things over and over again. They’d wake up, eat breakfast with or without their father, then train all day until they got hungry and ate lunch, then train some more until dinner. 

Dad trusted them alone, he taught them how to defend themselves and how to feed themselves. But sometimes the brothers wish that Dad would stay home more. They understood though. They always had to, just like Dad said.

Techno had gotten much better since the first time they had practiced. Now being able to move around with ease, and run without losing his footing. He and Wilbur don’t stay cooped up in the house, they go outside whenever they can and train on their own. Just no sparring.

Wilbur had his few months of being the better fighter, but was much happier once Techno stepped back to his rightful spot again. Things were finally getting back to normal. All they had to do was wait for Dad’s approval. At least, that was the plan until he came home with a blonde kid who looked like he was picked off the streets. 

“Wilbur! Techno! I want you to come meet someone.” Dad called, the sound of the door closing behind him. 

As the twins came from their room, they could hear this newcomer talk to their father. “And what if I don’t like them?” A high pitched voice said, Dad responding accordingly, “You will!” He seemed much more optimistic than the kid. 

Techno got there first, standing in front of his father and looking down at the person they were told to meet. He looked exactly like Techno imagined from his voice alone. 

Wilbur however was much more positive than his brother, smiling down at the blonde haired kid. “Hello!” 

The child squinted his eyes, then turned around and tried to open the door, “I don’t like them.” Dad laughed nervously and brought him back in front of the two. 

“This is Tommy, he’s seven, and he’s going to be your new brother!” Dad said, not looking as excited as he sounded. Techno shared the same expression. 

“Hello Tommy! I’m Wilbur, and this is Techno.” Giving the younger- now brother a small wave, and motioning to Techno when he was mentioned.

Techno didn’t wave, or speak. Wil seemed confused at this reaction, so he bumped his elbow into Techno’s side. The only thing that rose from that was a half-hearted risen hand. 

Arms crossed, Tommy changed his glaring eyes from the two of them, to just Techno. “I don’t like that one.” 

Completely unfazed, Techno responded, “I don’t like you either.” 

Dad and Wilbur could sense the tension between the two, so they tried to change the topic entirely. “He’s going to stay in the spare bedroom, so we’re going to need to find some decorations for him!” Their father said, leading Tommy to the said spare bedroom. Techno took this time to talk to Wil.

“He can’t train with us.” He said, his deadpanned voice matching his facial expression.

Wilbur frowned, beginning to walk towards the spare bedroom where their new brother was going to stay. “Yes he can, if he wants to. I don’t know why you already don’t like him, you’ve just met him.” 

Though begrudgingly, Techno followed. “He’s got this feeling about him Wil, you just haven’t realized yet how evil he is.” 

Rolling his eyes, Wilbur finally got to the doorway, peering into it to see what Dad and their new brother are talking about. His face goes pale, and Techno catches up, looking into the room as well. 

In the room they see their father holding Tommy by the ankle as he’s hanging out the open window. “Let me go! I’m returning to my rightful home!” 

“Tommy the woods isn’t a place for a child! Get back in the house-”

Techno could only laugh dryly, then motion towards the scene and look at Wilbur. “See.” 

Oh Wil saw. He laughed genuinely, then ran to the window where Tommy was attempting to crawl out of. “Tommy!” 

The blonde boy stopped squirming and looked up at him. “What? Can’t you see I’m trying to escape here?” 

Smiling down at the boy, Wilbur nodded, “You’re crazy! I like you.” 

Techno was baffled. But he still followed to peer out the window, seeing Tommy’s smile from Wil’s sideways compliment. Maybe having a little brother wouldn’t be so bad. Wilbur seemed to be enjoying it. 

Dad broke the moment by pulling Tommy out from the window, who started making overdramatic comments. “Ow, ow ow!! You’re going to pull my leg off!”

Tommy fell on the floor, their father plainly dropping him as he closed the window and locked it. “Don’t do that again.” 

Looking up at the man, Tommy seemed to have given up for the time being. Head held down in defeat, he mumbled a soft “Alright.”

Getting up off the floor, the seven year old handful looked at everyone surrounding him. “What? What are you all looking at me for?” Dad gave a heavy sigh and shooed the twins out of the room, then went back to scolding Tommy about his escape attempts. 

Techno seemed shocked at the sheer energy that came from the new addition to the household. Wilbur seemed excited that they had someone else to train with. 

Tommy, well, Tommy seemed happy that _somebody_ enjoyed his shenanigans. 


	4. It'll Be Okay.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Techno get's reminded that he'll never be the same again, and Wilbur comforts him in the treehouse they've always treasured.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More of a shorter chapter, but a emotional moment between the twins.

To Wilbur’s disappointment, Tommy didn’t seem all that interested in training with the two. Techno was relieved that their new brother wouldn’t intrude on anything they already had. Dad was just becoming fed up with all of the new things he had to deal with coming from one child.

The twin’s routine didn’t change all that much. They kept practicing until Dad would stop focusing on only Tommy and realize that they can start sparring again. Techno seemed less insecure about his whole stature, until Tommy brought it up one night. 

“Why does Techno have pig feet?” He asked out of nowhere, during a completely peaceful dinner.

Techno was visibly disturbed from this. Wilbur had noticed how well his brother was moving on from the fact that he was different from everyone else. He could move around normally, and now he could go back to his fighting specialty he always had.

Dad didn’t know what to say, how to explain it. Wil didn’t either really, nobody ever told him the specifics with Techno’s sudden illness, even if it was almost half a year ago. 

“Tough crowd.” Tommy muttered, noticing the uneasy aura around the table.

Techno dropped his fork, getting up from the table in silence. He didn’t storm out, he just quietly walked to the backyard. Wilbur looked from Tommy to his father, then hurriedly ran after him. 

That left Tommy and their dad. He pinched the bridge of his nose, then spoke to the perplexed seven year old staring at him across the table. “We have to talk about that…”

  
  


When Wilbur got to the backyard, he looked around for Techno, but his brother wasn’t in sight. There was only one place he could think of that his twin would have ran off to. The treehouse.

Climbing up steadily, Wil didn’t hear anyone right off the bat. He wouldn’t have even suspected that Techno would have been here, if he didn’t have anywhere else to go. Getting to the top, Wil clambered into the treehouse, seeing the noticeable pink fur and pig hooves. 

Techno was sitting with his knees pulled to his chest in the very back corner of the treehouse, the lighting of dusk making his hair appear more red than it was. There wasn’t any noise coming from him, he just looked frozen in time. 

"Hey.” Wilbur said, to nobody in particular, moving to sit next to his brother. He knows Techno won’t answer. 

His pink locks fell around his face, not a hint of the brown he used to have was left behind. The pig ears that accompanied his head flicked every now and then on instinct. Pink fur that surrounded his hooves blew in the chilly breeze that came with the season of autumn. Wil doesn’t know why, but he enjoyed this moment. He feels as if he’ll remember it for a great deal into the future. 

Techno lifted his head suddenly, his face solemn and blank. No words came out of his mouth, he just stared at his hooves as he started to pick at them. So Wil just picked at his pant leg. He knew not to say anything during times like these, it would just spark arguments. If Techno wanted to talk, he’d wait until he was ready to. The only thing Wilbur had to do was be there for him. Sure, he didn’t know what it was like, nor did he know how hard it was on someone. Just from imagining what it would be like, having your entire appearance change and relearning the basics of life, Wil would be pretty upset. 

Knowing his brother, who was much more worried about his surroundings than Wilbur, that discomfort would be bumped up to a larger scale. Nobody knows what he’s going through. That thought alone made Wil crumple up a bit more, furrow his brows, and be more aware of the constant picking. He didn’t like this feeling, this sorrow. This awareness that things aren’t okay, that his twin isn’t okay. 

“Wil?” Techno said out of nowhere. When he looked up at his brother, he was staring, looking concerned. “Are _you_ okay?” 

Blinking, Wilbur seemed a little dumbfounded at the question, “Of course I am, why wouldn’t I be?” 

Techno shifted in his spot, “You looked really sad all of a sudden, did I upset you?” 

“No, no of course you didn’t.” Wil tucked his legs in, then looked back up at his brother, “I’m just thinking, how unfair it is.” 

Frowning, Techno looked back down at his hooves then spoke out of nowhere, seeming to diverge off the topic, “Dad said I got a rare disease. It has such a low chance of happenin’ only the elders in the village even knew what it was. They’ve only seen one case before.” 

Wilbur wasn’t sure where this was going, “What happened to that person?”

Clenching his hands around his legs, Techno’s frown turned into a deeper one, “The guy killed most of the village in a haze. He went crazy, they said, or he just became evil.” Pausing, his frown turned into an almost scared expression, “What if I turn evil?” 

With no hesitation, Wil made eye contact with his twin, his eyes full of determination and certainty. “You’re not going to turn evil. You aren’t going to turn crazy.” 

“But you don’t k-” 

Wilbur suddenly wrapped his arms around Techno, hugging him tight. “You aren’t.” 

Techno froze, then wrapped his arms around his brother, and hugged him just as tight. He didn’t say anything for the time being. Just let the hug and the words sink in.

They would have stayed there for much longer if their dad didn’t call them from the backdoor. “Techno! Wilbur! Please come back inside!”

It startled the two so much, they jumped. Wilbur watched as Techno became scared for a second from the sudden yell, he laughed lightheartedly, and soon enough, so did Techno.

Even if things weren’t okay in the future, the moment between them in the treehouse would stick with them forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for the future, there's going to be more time skips as they get older and as experiences happen, there just had to be a lot of groundwork laid out in their childhood, don't worry about forgetting I'll add it as a tag once this chapter goes up!


	5. The Spar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil finds Tommy a new friend, and the twins get to have their first spar after a year of training.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Sorry for not posting consistently, I wanted to pump out a bunch of ground work before I got busy and now the busy has begun. I'll post as frequently as possible, but it won't be every day, hope you understand :)

And so the story continued. Not long after their moment in the treehouse, Dad got Tommy a new friend. Wil wasn’t sure how, but he found a small brown haired boy in the area the same age as Tommy. The boy’s name was Tubbo, and Tommy really seemed to like him, Dad seemed to enjoy Tubbo’s company as well. He was polite, kind to Tommy and the other’s, and always wanted to help. His brother seemed the total opposite. Tommy was rude, always teased and poked fun no matter what, but he did help. 

The two brought the best out in each other, Wilbur thought. Tubbo was quiet, but when Tommy was around, he spoke up a bit more. On the contrary, Tommy was always focused on making insulting jokes, but when Tubbo was around, he calmed down a bit and enjoyed their time together. 

Besides Tommy’s new friend, who came over so frequently it was as if he was a part of the family, some more changes happened. It’s been almost a year since the last time the twins sparred like they used to- Dad had finally approved of them training in a rough sense. Techno was so excited for this, he wanted the whole family to watch their first spar, even Tubbo. They’d been training, waiting for this day, Techno wanted to make it special.

Wilbur was fine with whatever his brother wanted, fighting was never really his thing, that was all Techno. He always enjoyed sparring with his brother though, so he too was excited for this. 

The day of the spar, Techno was quite enthusiastic the entire day. It was his time to shine, after staying so long in the dark. He even joked with Tommy a little in the morning, which everyone was left in awe about. Tommy was left with a big smile left on his face, which wasn’t a common sight when he talked to Techno. The two usually insulted each other back and forth, Tommy always found it funny but Techno just got annoyed. It showed how good of a mood his twin was in. 

Tubbo was around the whole day too, he showed up early in the morning and usually left after dinner. He never bothered with Techno much, but he gave just as big of a smile when Techno and Tommy got along. Everyone in the house really understood how much today meant to him.

It was after everyone ate and the sun began to set when the time came for the spar. Techno practically had flames in his eyes he was so pumped. Wilbur was just excited for the pure reason of being excited. He would try his best, of course, he just wasn’t as fired up.   
They were farther off in the woods, in a clearing that Dad always said he would make a shed at but never did. Him, Tommy and Tubbo stood off to the side, the two almost 8 year olds sitting in the grass, talking happily to one another. Dad had a small smile on his face, and looked at his sons lovingly.

“I know you boys have been waiting for this for awhile, but please be careful and take it easy.” He gave Wilbur a ruffle of his hair and Techno a pat on the back, then stepped back to stand next to the younger two. “Whenever you’re both ready, I’ll count off.”

Techno nodded, then looked to his twin, an overwhelmingly large smile on his face. “Fight like you mean it Wil.” 

Wilbur chuckled, “Always Techno.” 

The two nodded to their father, who tapped Tommy’s side with his foot. Both of them stood up respectively, and Tubbo gave an encouraging clap, “You’ll both be brilliant!” Tommy not too far behind, “Whoever loses I’m eating your breakfast tomorrow!” 

Dad elbowed him playfully, then spoke. “Nobody is going to lose, you both are wonderful. Now, get ready.” 

Wilbur gripped his sword, making sure to have all his other items nearby. Techno crouched down, gripping his sword with intent, his bow and arrow on his back. They were both ready. No shield, no golden apples, no potions, and no lava. Just swords and any other items. 

“Remember, do not draw blood, when you have the other pinned is when the fight is over.” Their father reminded them, his serious teaching expression plastered on his face. 

“Now. 3…” The boys looked back to one another, smiles creeping on their faces, “2…” They gripped their weapons, their legs tensing up from pre-adrenaline. “1… Fight!”

Techno launched himself at his brother as soon as his father finished, Wilbur dashed away just in time to see his twin looping around for a second attack. This time, he couldn’t dodge, so Wil blocked the incoming sword with his own, then pushed the other back. 

“You can’t keep dodging forever Wil!” Techno called, a giant smile on his face as he went back in for an attack. Wilbur once again blocked the attack with his sword and pushed him back. But this time he dashed farther away.

He ran behind a tree and scaled it quickly, something they had been practicing recently. Techno took long enough to catch up to not see him do it. Once his brother got behind the tree and looked perplexed for a moment, Wil jumped down the tree and launched an attack. 

Techno always had good reflexes, but they were never this good. In a moment’s notice he crouched under the sword just in time for him not to be pinned. It left Wilbur in a short haze, Techno taking the advantage to sweep his leg under Wil and knock him over. 

Except it didn’t knock him over. When Techno tried to sweep his leg under his brother, it made contact, but it didn’t budge him. 

The two were frozen, confused on what just happened. Techno failed to knock Wil over, that was for certain. But why did it fail? Leaving him flustered, Techno had trouble trying to get back up from this leg out crouched position. Wilbur easily flipped his leg over and knocked Techno off his feet. 

Then he was pinned. Lying on the ground, looking up at his brother, the sword was directly towards his throat. Wilbur’s eyes were widened, in a state of shock. He had never won against his twin before.

Techno suddenly understood. Why he lost. Dad would have usually ended the fight by now, congratulating them on the spar. He knew why he didn’t. Techno understood it all. 

Tommy and Tubbo seemed confused when techno shoved the dull blade away from his face, and stormed off into the house in silence. This wasn’t like the last time, where it was more of a respectful exit. He had an angry aura around him. The last time he had that same emotion radiating from him was when Wilbur had found him in the hall just a year before. Techno was frustrated, not angry at the one’s around him but angry at himself. Angry that he wasn't strong enough. 

Wilbur dropped his sword, the hilt making an indent in the dirt. Everything felt like it was falling apart. He stared at the doorway where Techno entered from, farther away then he remembered. 

Tommy got up and walked over towards his brother, Tubbo following behind nervously. The almost 8 year old looked up at him, tilting his head, “What happened? You won didn’t you?”

He didn’t even notice Dad left to go after Techno. 

“Willll?? HELLO?” Tommy raised his voice, getting on the tip of his toes and waving a hand in front of Wilbur’s face. 

“Huh- Oh, what?” 

“You won right?” He asked, acting impatient. 

Wilbur got lost in his thoughts for a moment longer, but didn’t take long to answer him. “No Tommy, nobody won.”


	6. 5 Years.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wilbur reminisces.

Wilbur fluttered his eyes open, realizing he was waking up. The room was dark, besides the small break of light coming from a crack in the curtains. It was morning. The sheets weren’t covering him, so instead of shrugging them off he just stood up. He was still wearing yesterday’s clothes, and wasn’t sure entirely when he fell asleep. 

Tommy definitely wasn’t here this morning, or else Wil would have woken up to the boy jumping on him, or yelling him awake. By checking his room, it confirmed his prior thinking, the sheets were messy but Tommy was nowhere to be found. Popping into his fathers room, Wilbur found that he wasn’t there either. They probably said something about it last night during dinner, but Wil had already forgotten. 

Walking into the kitchen, there was a plate out of cold eggs and hashbrowns, assumed to have been left for him. Wilbur stared at the plate of breakfast, then checked the time. Almost five o’ clock in the afternoon. Not morning.

Dumping the cold breakfast into the trash, he cleaned the plate afterwards and set it to dry. He wasn’t sure when they’d be back, by tonight, or by the end of the week. Tommy, being almost 12 now, took frequent trips with Dad for training. Wilbur assumed Tubbo went as well, being that the two were attached to the hip. It just left Wilbur and the empty house. 

Sitting at the kitchen table, Wil positioned himself where he was facing the living room. He could almost imagine where years before, when Tommy just arrived here, and seemed mesmerized by Techno’s long pink hair. The small boy would twist, flip, and run his small hands through the locks before Techno got tired and shooed his hand away. 

Techno. The thought of his twin made him nauseous. Wilbur sat there for however long his empty mind allowed, then wandered back into his room. Techno.

A full sized bed lay on one end of the room, with his guitar sitting up against the footboard. On the opposite side of the room lay a twin sized bed. It had different sheets, and a rubber band sitting on the pillow. Stepping closer, Wil saw the dust that had collected on it ever since- however long it had been since someone had slept there. 

Wiping the dust off with his hand, Wilbur sat down slowly, picking up the rubber band. The small band seemed much too big for his hands, it felt wrong. Wil dropped it suddenly, then turned to the other end of the bed. Dust collected here too. 

Without any conscious meaning, Wilbur took his finger and traced out letters in the dust. ‘T’ it started, an odd pressure building up in his chest. ‘E’ came the next letter, Wil bit his lip as the pressure rose inside of him. ‘C’. ‘H’ the pressure was in his throat now, the hand that wasn’t tracing letters was clenched at his sides. ‘N’ His finger trembled, afraid to move on. 

He was afraid to move on. Suddenly, Wilbur ran a violent hand over the unfinished name, the unfinished business. Hot tears rolled down his face as he looked at the now fresh sheets, beridden of their dust. A sob racked through his entire body, Wilbur crumpling up into the dusty twin bed sheets. Techno. Techno. His mind roared, his brother’s name over and over again. The tears came harder. He clenched to whatever he had left of his twin. Wilbur cried until his eyelids became heavy. Until his sobs became quiet. He lulled himself to sleep with Techno’s forgotten sheets. 

Wilbur was dreaming. His body was still heavy, and he could still feel the heaviness of his eyelids, but everything else was different. Surrounding him was a tundra, a vast snow covered area, with no foliage whatsoever. It felt so real that Wil began to shiver, the wind and snow chilling his bones. 

Standing up, Wil fought the strong frozen winds that threatened to knock him over. He looked around, for some sign of life or familiarity. There was so much wind that his line of sight was not very far. 

Taking a few steps in one direction, Wilbur felt the crunch of the snow underneath him, the snow’s frigid state nibbling at his bare ankles. The wind got harder and caught Wil off guard, which caused him to fall to the ground. His hands began to burn at how cold the snow was against his skin. 

Wilbur looked up and noticed that the wind had softened. He still stayed on the ground, but saw something in the distance. Squinting his eyes, Wil blinked the falling snow out of his eyes- seeing what was on the horizon. A pink silhouette. 

Of course. He wasn’t dead, so why was Wil acting like he was? 

“TECHNO!” He yelled at the top of his lungs, his voice cracking towards the end. 

The pink on the horizon shifted, then he could tell that the silhouette was running. He wouldn’t get here in time though, there was too much space in between them. Wilbur wasn’t sure why he called out. It was pointless.

“wilbur!” 

Snapping his head up, the voice was far away and quiet but sounded urgent all the same. 

Why did he call out? He knows that it’s pointless.

The yelling came again and again, but Wil felt that he was slipping. 

“TECHNO-” He yelled once more, then he was awake. 

Eyes fluttering open, Wilbur found himself in his bed. Everything felt smaller though. Once he hopped out of his bed, he realized that his bed was smaller- he himself was smaller. 

Wil turned to the other side of the room. Where his twin lay, in the spot on his bed where no dust was collecting. 

“Techno?” His voice was young.

His brother stirred, his pig ears popped up before he did. “What Wil? Why did you wake me up?” 

Wilbur felt his chest swell, “I just wanted to say hi.”

Techno smiled, even if his voice sounded annoyed. “Hi.” 

A loud rumble of thunder jostled him awake. Really awake this time. It was pitch black, only the light of the moon peeking from the curtains. A storm raging outside. Wilbur found himself in the exact place where he last remembered he was. In Techno’s twin sized bed. Nestled in the sheets that had long lost it’s scent of him. 

He found himself just like before, clinging, hoping, waiting. Waiting for his brother to come back after five years of being absent from all of their lives. Five years of trying to achieve whatever he wanted to prove, strength, capability, whatever it was. 

Five years since the spar. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry :')


	7. The Father

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Wilbur wakes up from his strange dream, he talks to Phil about certain topics that have been resting on his subconscious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the super long break! I was really stressed out from school, but now that Winter Break is finished, I got a sudden urge to write again, hope you enjoy this chapter! It takes a look into how Phil is taking all of this in.

Wilbur wakes up to Tommy and Tubbo jumping on his bed, the two children laughing and telling him to wake up. Groaning himself awake, he grabs Tommy by the legs and plays along as Tubbo yells a playful command.

“The sea monster has grabbed Tommy!! He’s being dragged from the ship! Get him!” Laughing as he launches himself at Wilbur’s clutching arms, he tries to pry the older boy’s hands off of Tommy as he dramatically screams.

“He’s got me- he’s got me!! The monster is going to rip my legs off!!” Tommy flailed his arms and hit them against Wil’s grip, but it didn't do anything of importance. 

Wilbur takes one of his arms down and gives Tubbo a shake as he falls off of his arms. Tubbo gasped and yelled again, “The monster has taken a part of the ship! We’re sinking!” 

Tubbo falls off the bed and makes some choking noises as Tommy goes limp in Wilbur’s grip. “The sea monster wins again, now leave my sea before I take your  _ souls _ too!!” Wil teased, putting on his most convincing villain impression.

The two gave a little giggle and Tommy wiggled out of Wilbur’s grip, following Tubbo out of the dark room and into the kitchen. Wil heard the two laughing and speaking loudly as they moved further and further away.

Wilbur sat up from his bed finally, and stared for a short moment at his curtains. He ended up leaving them closed, the dark room staying dark.

Shrugging on a sweatshirt over his plain black tee, he left his room into the brighter portion of the house, where Tubbo and Tommy ran off to. The kitchen. The two were still chattering loudly as he walked in, and Phil was fixing three plates of what he assumed was breakfast. On the plates were pieces of bacon, eggs, and a piece of toast. Butter was already set out for whoever wanted it. 

Wilbur was greeted by Phil as he walked in, and he sat himself down in his usual spot. He stared at the living room while the high pitched voices of the younger boys were drowned out. Wil intended to fix himself a plate after his father was done, but Phil had already sat down and asked him if he was eating before he realized. 

“Oh uh- yeah sorry I zoned out for a moment.” Wilbur explained, getting up from his spot and putting some of the breakfast on his plate. 

He didn’t realize how distracted he was about that dream he had. The image of the vast tundra was stuck in his mind, Techno’s older more mature voice sticking out in his head so loudly it was all that he could hear.

Wilbur had been floating through life after his twin left, repeating the same activities and saying the same things. He worked with his father when he needed it and helped out the nearby villages. Getting armor and weapons for his birthday didn’t excite him anymore, it was just slightly better gear every year. Everything felt the same, over and over again. 

The dream awakened something inside of him, for the first time in a long time, he focused on something. Wil had always had Techno in the back of his mind while doing daily tasks, like what he would say or do in a certain situation. There had always been a lingering sadness, but it was really prominent towards the beginning, shortly after Techno had left all those years ago. And then there’s now, when his subconscious reminded him of his twin, who is no longer present and with his family.

Now, he was about to turn 18, and he was still without his brother. He was afraid, still so afraid, to move on to his next chapter of life without him.

During all this thinking during breakfast, Wil has had only a bite of his toast, while everyone else was halfway through their meal. He’s had a question lingering in the back of his mind this whole time, so setting down his fork, Wilbur looked up at his father and asked it.

“Do you think Techno is going to miss our 18th birthday?”

Everyone goes silent, Tubbo and Tommy stopping their chattering out of respect. The room seems like it’s frozen for a short few moments, but Phil breaks it with a sigh, meeting his eyes to his older son. “Wil, Techno is on his journey right now, he’s finding himself. You know as well as I do he needs self acceptance before coming back. If he’s not ready by then, then he won’t be  _ ready _ .”

Wilbur drops his gaze to his lap, clenching his hands into fists as he speaks again. “I know, but do you ever think that he thinks of us? Or if he’s forgotten and made a new family. What if he thought we pitied him? And he left because he didn’t feel welcome? Was that why he would leave me Dad?” 

Tubbo grabs Tommy by the wrist, getting up from the table and leading him outside. Tommy mumbles confused words but complies to his best friend. Phil is left sitting across from Wil, and leaves a moment of silence to let the younger boys excuse themselves. Wilbur can’t make eye contact with his father, so he continues staring at his hands, watching as his knuckles turn white.

Phil speaks first. “It’s not your fault that Techno left. It’s not anyone's fault. He felt as if he wanted to accomplish something on his own, that has nothing to do with any of us. One day, when you leave, you’re going to feel the same way. You’re going to want to accomplish something on your own. It was just Techno’s time earlier than we expected.

Wilbur keeps his eyes peeled to his lap, “I’m almost 18 and I still can’t- I can’t deal with it Dad.”  
  


“And that’s a completely normal feeling.” Phil says simply, his voice picking up as he started again, “You know, there’s a saying about twins.” 

  
Finally being able to look up, Wilbur relaxed his tense brows and let his father continue. 

“It’s what all the villages said when they heard that you and Techno were born, that you two were going to achieve great things and always be by each other’s sides. He might not be here psychically, but he knows how you must feel about it, and I’m sure he hates to be away from you. He probably misses Tommy and Tubbo too.” Phil told his son, with an obvious endearment in his voice. 

Wil let a small smile appear on his face, before dropping back into the previous frown. “I just want my brother back.”

Phil shared the same frown with Wilbur, “I know Wil, we all do. But you must keep yourself together for Tommy and Tubbo. They look up to you, I hope you realize that. They can even realize something’s wrong, they’re bright. Tubbo knows when you’re going to get upset and leaves,  _ leaves _ the room Wilbur. That shouldn’t be a routine for him.”

Choking up, Wilbur put his head in his hands and rested on the table. “But- I can’t help it, it’s just he’s been gone for so lon-”

“I understand Wil, but you’re almost 18. You'll have to move on without him eventually, you’re going to have to wait for him to come to you.” Phil said sternly, feeling bad that Wilbur was hurting so much, but irritated that he was being so stubborn about keeping a tunnel vision.

Wil’s head popped up suddenly, like he had remembered something all of a sudden. “I had a dream, dad.” 

“What?”

“A dream. About techno. I dreamt that I was in a tundra and he was there, calling out to me.”

Phil didn't know what to say at the moment, so he stayed silent, pursing his lips and staring at his troubled son.

“Then I dreamt that we were kids again, and I woke him up and he told me hi.” 

Phil frowned softly, “I don’t know what you’re getting at here Wilbur but this doesn’t change anything-”

“I think it meant something, I’m trying to tell myself something-” Wilbur said, desperately trying to get his father to listen.

“It’s just a dream Wil. You don’t base your actions on what you dream about.” His voice began to get louder, and Wilbur could tell that he was beginning to become irritated.

In a more calm manner, Wil tried again, “Dad I don’t think you’re following.”

“Wilbur this conversation has gone on for way too long, can we just drop this and let the kids come back inside so they can eat? They haven’t been home in a bit, let it be normal for once.”

Staring at his lap and holding back tears, Wilbur got up and left the kitchen, the chair scratching against the floor uncomfortably loud as he left his barely eaten breakfast. Phil let a sigh leave his body as he too got up to fetch Tommy and Tubbo. 

The two were casually in the front yard, picking at the grass and talking about whatever 12 year olds do. Tubbo popped his head up as soon as he heard the door open and ran to the door, Tommy following closely. 

“Phil! Is Wilbur alright?” The rosy-cheeked boy asked, a worried expression sitting on his young face. 

Patting Tubbo’s head, which was full of warm brown locks, Phil smiled softly down at the two. “Yes, he’s still upset about Techno, but he’s getting better. You two can come inside now.”

Tubbo grabbed Tommy’s hand to lead him inside, but Tommy had something to say of his own. “I don’t know why he’s so sad about him, he was always so rude. And overdramatic.” 

Phil gave a lighthearted chuckle, “Tommy I hope you do realize you screamed and tried to climb out the window when I first brought you here.”

Tommy’s expression flipped into an embarrassed one, his eyes stuck to the wooden flooring of the porch. “Right.” Tubbo covered his small giggle, but it didn’t change Tommy’s embarrassment. 

“Go on inside you two, finish your breakfast.” Phil told them calmly, the two scrambling inside. 

He himself stayed outside for a moment, walking out in the soft morning sun. The birds greeted him happily, chirping their morning song. Phil let’s his wings air out a little bit, fluttering the light feathers. 

His mind was racing, he didn’t know how to react to all of this. Of course it’s been pushing on his subconscious for awhile, but he knew Wilbur was strong so he didn’t address any of it directly. But something was happening, Wil was starting to spiral and it was his duty as a parent to help him get through it. He just didn’t know how. 

He’s coping on his own, not having one of his children here with him as long as he can, but it’s been  _ years _ since Techno has been gone. Even if his son came back now, he would turn 18 soon and just leave again. It was a part of life. Wilbur would leave soon too, but with how hard he’s been handling everything as of recent, Phil wants to keep him close for a little bit longer.

Looking at the oak trees that surround their home, Phil brought his eyes to a bird’s nest that he’s been aware of since it was created. From what he’s seen, the birds who live there appear to be some type of wren species. 

How do they do it? Every season, they hatch new children and watch them grow and learn, teach them what they need to know. Then they leave. Do the birds feel some sort of obligation to miss their young, even as the seasons pass and more children come and go?

Phil watched as one of the parents flew from the nest, assumed to be retrieving more food. Perhaps it’s just in their nature, to keep going as they raise more children, maybe it’s not as complicated as he’s making it out to be. Maybe he’s just looking for validation as a parent. 

He really needs more friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If the format looks different, the way I wrote it out in the google docs was a bit different from my previous chapters, hope it isn't a bother :)


End file.
